{"id":17760,"date":"2025-11-11T15:05:56","date_gmt":"2025-11-11T20:05:56","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.med.unc.edu\/cfar\/2016\/01\/planning-making-a-plan-and-putting-it-into-action\/"},"modified":"2026-01-09T10:56:24","modified_gmt":"2026-01-09T15:56:24","slug":"making-a-plan-and-putting-it-into-action","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.med.unc.edu\/cfar\/2025\/11\/making-a-plan-and-putting-it-into-action\/","title":{"rendered":"Making a Plan and Putting it into Action"},"content":{"rendered":"
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The last of the 4 MI processes is Planning<\/strong>. After you have engaged<\/strong> with the client, established a focus<\/strong>, and evoked<\/strong> the client\u2019s own motivations for change, it is time to begin Planning<\/strong>. This is where the client is moving from talking about why<\/i><\/strong> he or she wants to change to how<\/i><\/strong> he or she plans to do it. Through the collaboration that is occurring with the client, he or she will tell you if they are ready to \u201ctest the waters\u201d and actually begin discussing what the change will look like and how it will happen.<\/p>\n

Again, if the client is ready, ask how he or she plans to move forward on the specific topic:<\/p>\n

\u201cIt sounds like you may be ready to change\/address [chosen topic]. Can you tell me more about how this will work or what it will look like for you?\u201d<\/i><\/p>\n

Summarize the ideas presented, and discuss what the client will work on between this session and the next:<\/p>\n

\u201cBetween now and our next visit, you have decided that you are going to try to _____ and _____. \u00a0Is that correct?<\/i><\/p>\n

Steps to making the plan SMART<\/strong> and more sustainable include the following:<\/p>\n